by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – BY suggesting that councilors of his party must emulate colleagues in rival parties on delivering services, President Cyril Ramaphosa risks diminishing the prospects of his African National Congress (ANC) in the next municipal elections.
Instead, he is boosting the chances of ANC’s main rival in the coalition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), with the polls pending at a time the former liberation movement has seen its grip on power loosen amid outcry over lack of service delivery and corruption.
In arguably his worst gaffe since assuming leadership of the ANC and the country, he implied DA-led municipalities always outperformed the ANC ones in delivering services.
“They are often DA-controlled municipalities. We need to ask ourselves, what is it that they are doing that is better than what we are doing,” he said.
Ramaphosa was addressing more than 4 800 ANC councillors in Soweto.
Gwede Mantashe, ANC chairperson, also at the event told some rowdy councilors they were “good at singing” but “dololo (nothing) at service delivery.
At least unlike Ramaphosa, he did not compare them with other parties.
Ramaphosa’s stance is a political blooper that ANC officials are struggling to spin, while the DA is making the most of it.
Hellen Zille, Chairperson of the Federal Council of the DA, has set social media on fire with her artificial inteligence-generated images depicting Ramaphosa as a DA member.
Willie Aucamp, member of parliament (MP) and DA national spokesperson, said, “We are flattered, Mr. President, because now you know what millions of voters across South Africa know: Only the DA delivers.”
The DA believes Ramaphosa had acknowledged that where the DA governed, voters gotwhat they were promised.
“We thank the ANC President, as coalition partner in the Government of National Unity, for recognition where it is due,” Aucamp said.
The remarks by Ramaphosa risks widening the factionalism bedeveling the ANC.
Tony Yengeni, a veteran of the ANC, is quoted as saying, “Praising DA councillors on the eve of an election is not political naivety. It’s not even sabotage. It’s the greatest of betrayals!”
However, Fikile Mbbalula, ANC Secretary-General, spinned the president’s statement.
He said at the gathering, Ramaphosa drew from the wisdom of former ANC president, Oliver Tambo, “reminding us that we must never shy away from learning, even from our enemies.”
“The DA’s triumphalism over this statement is not only misplaced, it is a distortion of the context and meaning of the president’s marching orders,” Mbalula said.
Hopewell Chin’ono, a commentator on African politics, expressed mixed feelings.
He believes DA would have gained more mileage from Ramaphosa’s “suicidal political miscalculation.
“If the DA had simply kept quiet, they would have allowed Ramaphosa’s words to embarrass his own party and strengthen their case,” Chin’ono argued.
He mentioned the possibility of the ANC recalling Ramaphosa, and its implications on South Africa.
“South Africa does not need the kind of instability that comes with recalling a president or triggering fierce infighting within the ANC.”
Chin’ono believes it is in the best interests of the DA for Ramaphosa to remain in power, because the alternative could be a radical ANC leader who would reject participation in the GNU.
Mandela is the only president in South Africa to ever finish his term, with Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, pressured by their party to resign.
Municipal elections are set for late next year or early 2027.
– CAJ News